Maeve And Bobby Begin

Maeve meets bobby for the first time

"What did you do!?"

Maeve sat in the hospital bed with her broken arm, being tormented by her foster parents.

Like every other day. "I..."

"You didn't think! You walked into the street and someone was about to take you if it wasn't for Daniel." The man whisper-shouted. That wasn't true.

Daniel was holding her hand and walking her into the street while he stared at his phone.

Maeve pushed him out of the way as a car hit her, someone in a hoodie was about to pick her up when someone else got to her first, and called 9-1-1.

And Daniel didn't even realise until his parents called.

He didn't care either.

"I was hit by a car and was about to be kidnapped... again." Maeve replied. "Are you talking back to me!?" He yelled louder, making Maeve flinch.

She hated yelling.

"What would happen if Daniel ran after you? Huh? You could have hurt our son!" The lady sobbed, hugging her son who was 17 by the way.

"What if he was kidnapped too." The man pointed at her accusingly. "I can't deal with you anymore... We're leaving, I'll call the social worker to pick you up from here."

"Wait what..?" Maeve whimpered, she watched as her foster family stormed out, leaving her in the hospital.

Again.

"That's the... second last one.." she whispered to herself. She stared down, watching her legs sway back and forth as she awaited the social worker's arrival.

Until something else happened.

"Hey, you okay?"

Maeve looked up and saw a man staring at her with a worried smile, he was wearing a firefighter suit, so he was probably a firefighter on duty.

"Uh huh..." Maeve replied, staring down. "Where are your parents?" He asked, kneeling down to her level.

Most people just ignored her.

"Fosters. They left me here..."

"What why?" The man asked. "I got hit by a car and someone tried to kidnap me... all they were worried about was their son..."

"Oh..." The man tilted his head, confused and worried.

Some people were just assholes.

"I'm Bobby, I'm a firefighter." He said, holding out his hand. Maeve looked at it, and shakily held out hers to shake his. "I'm M, but everyone calls me Maeve."

"How old are you, kid?"

"I turn 4 tomorrow."

"Wow congrats, you're getting bigger!" Bobby chuckled, making Maeve laugh too. "I had a kid just like you... you remind me of her."

Before Maeve answered, the conversation was interrupted.

"Cap!" someone called, and Bobby looked away. "I gotta go, it was nice meeting you. Is someone gonna come pick you up?"

"A social worker."

It only hit him then that the fire captain realised a family had given up on her, and god knows how many more. The social worker's came a minute later and took Maeve away.

"Bye Mr Bobby!" The little girl waved.

The captain watched as the kid followed behind the social worker, leaving an empty feeling in his chest.

An empty feeling he hasn't felt since he lost his family in that fire. Something about that kid stood out to him, maybe it was the scar or something about the way she talked.

But it reminded him very much of his own.

Though, this poor kid was all alone.

"You okay, cap?" Chimney asked, following his gaze to the door. "Yeah.. yeah, I will be."

...

Maeve sat in her room in the orphanage, she was told someone decided to foster her. One last chance... If this fails, she's going to a government factory.

She hugged her bag, mentally preparing herself for the worst outcome and family to come. Instead, it was a man.

Bobby from yesterday.

"Hey kid." He smiled. "You're Mr Bobby, from yesterday..." Maeve waved. "Yeah, home has been lonely and I figured I could use a... shapeshifter?"

"They told you that..." Maeve winced, it made Bobby laugh. "They did, I think it's cool. Maybe one day, you could come with me to work, then I can keep an eye on you."

"Work..?" Maeve tilted her head. "Yes, work. My super cool firefighter job." Bobby nodded. "I filled out all the paperwork so you will stay with me for a while."

"Okay?"

"... Okay."

Bobby led her out his car and shortly after, they pulled up to an apartment. "Home sweet home." He said, opening the door.

It didn't smell of booze, check.

It was tidy and organised, check.

The doors can only be locked from the inside, check.

"I'll show you your room." Bobby smiled, he turned the corner and led Maeve into a children's room. "The orphanage told me you like animals."

The entire room was animal themed, but not too much that it made him look like he was trying too hard.

"Woah..." Maeve wowed. "Nice, huh?"

"Why don't you set your things down and I will get started on our lunch, what do you-" But before Bobby finished, Maeve had locked the door.

At first, she tried to climb out the window but something about how Bobby didn't do anything sparked a sense of curiosity in her. Maybe, she would stay just to see how he was.

If he was any good, maybe she could stay with him for a longer time.

The door stayed locked for the entire day, and it worried Bobby. Once it turned into the afternoon, he called Hen in hopes of any fostering advice because she was experienced.

"Have you tried asking her why she locked the door?"

"Well, I hadn't interacted with her because I wanted to leave her alone... the foster agent in charge of her said she's been through a lot." Bobby sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, maybe try and invent a way to talk to her through the door? I wouldn't try to open it just yet, you should wait for you to do it on her own." That gave Bobby an idea.

Maeve waited in the room for a long time. Everyone else would ignore her or bang on the door, she wanted to see if he will turn up to be like everyone else.

But instead, a little piece of paper slips through the doggy door Bobby installed in case Maeve became more comfortable with shape-shifting.

Maeve picked up the piece of paper, there was writing on it. 'What's your favourite lunch?' with a smiley face.

Maeve looked around and found another piece of paper, she ripped a small piece and wrote 'chicken nuggets' on it and slipped it under the door.

30 minutes later, a plate of chicken nuggets and a water slipped through the door with a note, 'I'm grateful for the doggy dog' with another smiley face.

Maeve smiled and slipped another piece of paper through the door, 'thank you.' with a smiley face.

After two days, Maeve moved from notes under the door to replying to Bobby with short words and actually opening the door.

On day 3, she slept with the door unlocked.

On day 4, she had a 3 minute conversation with Bobby and was introduced to Athena.

"Athena, this is Maeve. I am fostering her." Bobby explained, and the woman looked shocked. "Bobby, she's adorable!" Athena cooed, kneeling down to her.

"Hello.." Maeve waved. "She's a little shy.."

"Are you Bobby's friend?" Maeve asked. "You could say that, I'm Athena. I'm his girlfriend." she smiled, giving her a hand. The young shapeshifter could feel Bobby beam when she said that.

Simp...

Maeve looked at the sergeant's hand and shook it, guess she's gotta get used to her as well.

On day 5, she hugged Bobby for the first time, Bobby boasted about it to Athena and the 118 for the entire day. They were happy for him but also wished he would shut up about it.

Day 6, Maeve shape-shifted into a cat, Bobby found it adorable even though she did it out of fear when she was jump-scared by a movie Bobby was watching.

On day 7, she spent the day outside her room, talking with Bobby. The fire captain learned that the younger girl liked to colour, pictures in general.

So, he got her a sketchbook and Maeve grew attached, colouring in it everyday.

A whole week, but it was worth it.

A few weeks before Bobby introduced Maeve to the 118, he sat her down for a talk. "You have been with me for almost 4 months now, Maeve."

"Yeah... what's going on..? Are you giving me back?" Maeve asked frantically. "Oh no, no sweetie.. quite the opposite. I want to... adopt you."

"Say what now?" Maeve said, tilting her head.

"It means that I won't foster you anymore. You will officially become my daughter." Bobby explained. "Does that mean I have to call you Daddy now?"

"You can call me whatever."

"Okay Bobby... thank you..." Maeve smiled, hugging him. "Thank you, Maeve... I love you, sweetie.."

"..."

...

The other day, Maeve woke up to yelling behind the door.

It was Bobby and Athena.

She left and Bobby looked stressed, sitting down with his head in his hand. So... Maeve made him a card.

Nothing special, just a little doodle of him and her that she slipped through the door. Bobby stuck it on the fridge the very next day, he seemed to really like it.

...

After that, 2 days later, Maeve noticed the ground beginning to shake.

Books started to fall from the shelf and plates shattered on the ground. She could hear the next door neighbours yelling about an earthquake, around six to seven.

"Woah..!" Maeve exclaimed as she lost her balance and slid against the wall. A few books hit her on the head, but she didn't get seriously injured.

After a couple of minutes of rumbling, it slowed down and stopped.

Maeve rubbed her head, and got up to examine the damage. The whole house was a mess.

That wasn't fun.

Curiously, Maeve peeked out the window. Everything and everyone was in chaos, didn't look so good.

To pass time, Maeve started to clean the house. She did it pretty quick, leaving enough time for her to watch what was happening on the news.

But she stopped halfway because the news is boring.

There was an aftershock that made the books fall down again, Maeve found it annoying.

And again.

And again and again.

16 aftershocks, and Maeve stopped tidying up after a while. Bobby was supposed to be home an hour ago, but he hadn't come yet.

He was probably at work.

Right?

Maeve waited by the door for a long time. She was doodling on her book when Bobby opened the door, and Maeve's eyes lit up like she saw the best thing ever.

"Bobby!" She squealed, running to hug him. "Maeve!" Bobby chuckled, scooping the shapeshifter up in a hug. "Are you okay? I was so worried..." he sighed.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

"Good because we need to go somewhere..." The captain caught sight of the mess and blinked slowly. "... ah, we can clean that up tomorrow."

Bobby changed out of his clothes, and drove himself and Maeve to a house Maeve didn't recognise. He picked up Maeve in one hand and called Athena with his phone in the other.

The sergeant came out a minute later and hugged Bobby. "What are you two doing here?" She asked.

"Well, I wanted to see how you were. It's been a day..."

Athena made a low hum sound and turned to Maeve. "Hi Maeve!" She smiled, cupping the little girl's cheek. "Hi Athena..." Maeve chirped, noticing a man watching.

Then, that man came out.

He was Athena's ex husband, Micheal. "Uh, Micheal, this is Bobby and Maeve."

"We met at Hen's party, remember?" Bobby smiled, shaking his hand. "We did, uh nice to meet you." Micheal invited Maeve and Bobby inside for dinner, saying that the kids were excited to meet them.

Kids?

Maeve shuffled behind Bobby, peering at the girl and boy in the living room.

"Hi, I'm Bobby, nice to meet you." Bobby grinned, shaking their hands. "It's nice to meet you, Bobby." The girl nodded, shaking his hand. "You're a firefighter? That's so cool!" The boy beamed.

"Yeah, I'm the captain..." He answered. Maeve glanced at Bobby and back at the two kids, and the girl finally noticed her. "Oh hey, is this your daughter?"

"Hm? Oh yeah, this is Maeve. Come on, say hi..."

"..." Maeve didn't say anything, she did wave though. "Sorry, she's shy, not the biggest fan of people..."

"My name's Harry. And that's my sister, May."

"... Sister.." Maeve repeated.

"Yeah, we're siblings..."

"Siblings..."

"... Is she okay?" May asked. "She's fairly new to the concept of family, she lost hers in a fire so I adopted her some time ago."

"Oh..."

"... It's nice to meet you." Maeve spoke up after a beat of silence, looking at them with a slight smile.

"You too!"

That day, Maeve was introduced to the concept of a proper family.

She liked it.